Extended Leash
by Juri.DP
Summary: She can wear the crown, but he holds the title.


**I have some really dark SasuHinas in mind... This is not one of them. Ha! I guess you can call this one of my "subtle" pieces because I just have that feeling that someone...is not going to completely understand what happened the first time through... Then again... You all are really smart! I like that! See you again when I edit (because I always seem to do that)!**

**Couldn't find a suitable cover photo for this... Maybe later, though. Promise!**

**Enjoy!**

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"Today's the day, huh?"

"Yup."

"Do you think she can do it?"

He smirked. "Yup."

"You think I have a chance?"

He turned his head, smiling condescendingly. "Nope."

Shikamaru, Kiba, and Naruto stood around Ichiraku, loitering. They were nonchalantly conversing, but their eyes kept scanning up and down the street.

"So," Naruto said, all eyes looking to the left, "the day's almost over."

All eyes looked to the right, unconsciously glancing at the evening sky.

"Yup," Kiba confirmed.

"Still think she can do it?" Shikamaru asked again, wishing he could sleep but was far too interested in what might be seen.

"Uh-huh." Kiba looked at both young men before they all turned their heads once again. "She's strong, ya know."

Shikamaru frowned slightly. "No one trains for this kind of thing."

Naruto casually ran a hand through his hair. "You really don't think I...?" His eyes trailed the other way, and he jumped, pointing. "There!"

The other two heads snapped in his direction. Kiba smirked, crossing his arms, eyes gleaming.

"Alright," he drawled, nodding his head approvingly. "Let it begin."

* * *

"We don't talk much."

"No, I don't."

He chuckled. "No, _we_ don't talk much."

He shrugged. "I suppose you're nice company."

Choji grinned, letting one of Shino's bugs crawl on his finger and brought it to his line of sight. "Is today the day?"

Shino nodded, glancing at him briefly.

"Are you worried?"

Shino hesitated, distracting himself with the unusually insect-less dirt. "I am...anxious."

"Right." Choji set the bug next to Shino. "Do you think she can do it?"

"I believe she can, but it's a matter of whether or not she will." Shino fidgeted where he sat, unable to find his calm.

"I know what you mean." Choji looked up, nudging the bug user and flicking his head to the left. Shino looked and sighed, shaking his head. They silently watched the figure walk by.

"She can do it," Choji assured.

Shino nodded, but he wasn't convinced.

* * *

Sakura and Ino nervously stood around the Yamanaka's flower shop. Ino stood behind the counter, trying to appear busy with tapping her finger against it. Sakura took to arranging the flowers around the shop, but she was too on edge to actually take note of what she was doing.

"We have big mouths," Ino mumbled, not looking up.

Sakura bit her lip, not looking away either. "We didn't know he was listening."

"We told him everything."

"We... He was very...livid."

Ino sighed, distressed and full of an immeasurable amount of guilt. "Today's supposed to be the day," she groaned. "It's supposed to happen _today_."

Sakura turned, staring at her worriedly. "So he knows. It's not like...that should stop anything."

"No, but he didn't _say_ anything. He just... He just walked away."

"That doesn't mean he's-"

"Sakura!" Ino whispered frantically, her finger feverishly tapping against the counter as she looked out the door. "S-Sakura! Sakura!"

The pink-haired ninja panicked and stepped back to follow her gaze. She gagged, a yelp stuck in her throat.

He stood there, staring at them dispassionately.

The girls felt the unexplainable fear building, their minds becoming more alert than they could handle.

For a few seconds, he did nothing, but, when he did, he merely rolled his eyes forward and continued on his way.

"Oh... O-oh my-"

"We're overreacting," Sakura gasped, turning to Ino with a frantic smile. "Think about it! We're acting crazy!"

The blonde stared at her in terrified confusion. "Sa-"

"Crazy!" her friend insisted, taking her hands into her own. "_Think_ about it, Ino. What are we actually fearing here? This _isn't_ life or death!"

Ino blinked, truly reflecting on the past forty-eight hours. She breathed deeply, cracking a smile. "You're right," she huffed, slowly building into laughter. "Y-you're right!"

"I'm right!" the medical kunoichi laughed.

An uncontrollable cackling commenced, relief washing over the duo.

But there was still that nagging guilt.

* * *

"I think we startled her," Tenten giggled as her team walked back from the Main Gates. They were there just ten minutes ago, and it was only now that she could find the uncomfortable atmosphere humorous.

"She's fine," Neji dismissed, unusually pleased.

"What a glorious day!" Lee exclaimed, using his arms enthusiastically. "This is truly a glorious day for the Hyuuga household! This is her first step in fully expressing her Power of Youth!"

Neji looked at him, bothered by the image. "Right... Well..."

"You've really been looking forward to this, huh?" Tenten smiled, nudging the Hyuuga. "I thought you were all for her happiness."

"I still am. This makes her happy now."

She laughed, pushing his shoulder. He wasn't even involved before this whole thing came to light.

Team Guy soon came upon the skulking figure. Neji was the one eyes were locked with...

...until they completely passed each other.

The Hyuuga chuckled, it soon turning into controlled laughter. Lee and Tenten exchanged surprised, amused glances.

"So, you think she can do it?" Tenten asked.

"I know she will," he said, his eyes barely able to remain open.

* * *

It had to be perfect.

It had to be away from people, or his irritability would override anything else.

It couldn't be in the morning because he could hardly function, and it couldn't be at night because he _chose_ not to function.

She made sure that it was done away from any major holidays and – God forbid – his birthday. Surely, she didn't want him to link this day with any other joyous occasion.

So, Hinata picked a nice, cool evening at the end of August to ask Sasuke to meet her outside the gates – because Sasuke enjoyed trees more than he let on – so she could take charge for once. Hinata would no longer let the Uchiha be the only one to call the shots ever again. Not today. Not tomorrow... Not even a few months from now.

Hinata was breaking up with him.

She fidgeted, wetting her lips at the ever bold thought.

_She_ break up with _Sasuke_?

It was unheard of.

People, she knew, hoped for it, but no one believed she had it in her to control their relationship in _that_ way – not that she did much controlling in any way. But she would prove them wrong. She'd prove herself wrong because, if she had to be honest, this has been a decision that required months of mental assessment and courage building.

The decision was hard to come to in and of itself. She couldn't complain that there was no passion in their relationship because Sasuke made it very clear that there was not an ounce of passion inside of him.

What Hinata had concerns over was Sasuke's...attitude...toward her.

He was very distant. When they were together, he hardly paid any attention to her, and, when they were alone, that attention only diminished – unless he wanted to direct that attention to her body.

It wasn't bad in the beginning. She interpreted his lack of involvement as his confidence in her – like she could take care of herself without supervision. But...he was too sure of himself. If she became displeased with him, he wouldn't care. He only stuck to her when she was angry with him just to spite her. Sometimes she'd get so angry with his presence and her lack of communicating skills that she'd cry, and Sasuke would only worsen the situation by telling her she was being 'just like a girl'.

Or worse.

He would _laugh _at her.

Sasuke Uchiha...

_...laughing_ at the girl _he_ pursued when _he_ made her cry.

She truly hated that about him. He was so...so...insensitive. He was so sure that she would put up with him – with the way he treats her.

He was sure _she_ would never leave.

Hinata sighed, pressing her forehead against the trunk of a tree.

She did like him a lot, though. If it wasn't for his cold nature, this relationship would have been ideal. They were both quiet; they gave each other space; they worked well on missions... And there was just something about them that worked so well.

When Sasuke decided to be tolerable.

She looked at the ground, taking in the atmosphere. He would be here soon. The best way to deal with this would be to say it outright. If she tried to build her way up to it, he would either lose interest or try to twist her words. But...she couldn't be _too_ straightforward or else he wouldn't believe her, and she'd be in his company longer than she needed to be.

So, she decided, it would be up to her to do all the talking. If Sasuke got a word in, it'd be hard for her to recover. She had to make her point, break it off, and leave.

Nothing more, nothing less.

She sighed again, standing straight, and screamed, noticing a figure standing to her left. Jumping back, she realized it was Sasuke. He looked at her disinterestedly, his regard for her little outburst coming off the same way.

"O-oh," she breathed, holding back the urge to hold her hands to her heart. "Sasuke."

The Uchiha rolled his eyes, crossing his arms, and leaned against the tree. "Hinata."

"Ah... Th-thank you for meeting me."

His eyes bore into her being, making no reply.

Hinata resisted all urges to show her discomfort. Instead of pressing her lips together or wetting them, she ran her tongue against her teeth. Instead of fidgeting, she made a slight nod of her head. Instead of looking away...she had a blinking fit for about five seconds.

"Yes, well," she began, shaking her shoulders, "Sasuke, I've been thinking for a while now, and I feel like we..."

Sasuke waited.

"Uh, like...we..."

He waited.

"L-like..."

He waited...a little too calmly for her taste. His undivided attention made her uneasy.

No...

His undivided attention that held no interest whatsoever made her uneasy. It made her want to hit him. It made her want to _hurt_ him. It made her-

"I want to break up."

The two stared at each other, letting the words sink it.

Hinata swallowed, her words nearly choking her. "I-I'm sorry, what?"

"I want to break up," Sasuke repeated with the same lack of emotion.

The heiress tried to respond, her words coming out half-finished and breathy. Her hands somersaulted in midair, their speed constantly changing. He just... Sasuke just...

"Why?" she managed to get out. "I-I... This is... Wh...why?"

He shrugged, his eyes looking elsewhere as he could squeeze no amusement out of her being. "We don't work."

Her eyebrows shot up, a tiny gasp bursting to life. "Don't...? What do you mean?"

He sighed, impatient. "Hinata."

"B-but I don't know where this is coming from."

His head rolled in her direction, groaning. "Why did you call me out here?"

She couldn't think of anything. She knew her reasoning, but now she was re-thinking everything.

_He_ wanted to break up with _her_. Meaning..._he_ wasn't happy with _her_. She did something...that upset him? Has he always been this way? Did she misread his unhappiness as being disinterested? Was his distance from her because he wasn't _happy_?

He wasn't happy?

_She_ didn't make him happy?

"I'm leaving," Sasuke said, pushing off the tree and walking away.

"N-no!" She stumbled after him, desperation slowly taking over her. "You weren't happy?"

Sasuke said nothing. Hinata followed him through the village, throwing questions at him as people stared, but he still said nothing. It wasn't until he made it to his apartment that he finally turned to face the red-faced young woman.

"Can we talk?" she blurted when she met his gaze.

"No."

"That's...not fair, is it?"

"But forcing me to talk about it is?"

"I... Y-yes," she said, straightening her posture and summoning her confidence. "You... You always do as you please, but this isn't something you can just decide on your own."

"It isn't?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to be with you. How is that not my choice?"

Hinata flinched, frowning. "I at least have a right to know why this is happening."

"No you don't."

"Then tell me why you never told me before."

"No."

"Tell me _something_."

"_No_."

Hinata went silent, her shock turning into anger. He was doing it again. He was calling the shots without even thinking about her. Did he even..._consider_ that she wanted this relationship?

Sasuke turned to go inside.

"Sasuke!" she snapped. "We _are_ going to talk about this!"

He laughed tauntingly, looking at her over his shoulder. "I say we're not."

"_I_ say we are." She walked toward him, fists balled at her sides. "Sasuke Uchiha, I'm tired of you treating me like I don't have an opinion! I...I say that we're at least going to talk about this, and if you can't give me one good reason why we shouldn't break up, then...then we won't!"

For the first time in a long time – possibly ever – Sasuke looked her over with the most subtle signs of interest, which, for Hinata, was quite a lot. He turned to her, his eyes shining with amusement.

"Fine," he said, opening the door and stepping aside. "Humor me."

Hinata nodded at him once and briskly entered his apartment. It was only after she heard the door shut that she wondered just how she would get this conversation started. She faced Sasuke, who turned to her after locking the door, slumping against it.

"I'm listening," the Uchiha acknowledged, initiating her turn.

She swallowed discreetly, crossing her arms. "You should have told me you weren't happy."

"What difference does it make now?"

"We can _fix_ it." She huffed, desperately trying to keep her composure. "This is... We are... We're _together_, Sasuke. You had the right to come to this decision, and I have the right to try to change it."

He cocked a brow at her. "That's a bit selfish, don't you think?"

"_Selfish_?" She was insulted to hear that from _him_. _Him!_ "I..._I_ didn't even know I was about to lose this relationship, but _you... You_ just expect me to put up with this just because you say so? You want me to drop all this when I didn't even know something was wrong with us? I can't. I _won't._"

"Really." The corner of his lip quirked. "So, what are you saying?"

"Well... I guess I..."

He waited, amused.

"I'm saying..."

Silently, he waited, confident.

"I... I-I..."

He was smug. His entire presence radiated his downright _smug_ ways. He didn't think she would put her foot down. He was waiting for her to break and go into a stuttering fit just so he could bask in her discomfort one last time before he kicked her out.

She should have guessed it.

She should have guessed he didn't really want to talk this out. He just...

_"Humor me."_

Hinata's gaze sharpened, a sudden glare taking over her withdrawn, calmed visage. She walked over to Sasuke, arms still crossed, her movement almost making her glide across the room. The Uchiha watched with heightened awareness as his girlfriend took on this new air of power and solidity. She stopped in front of him, her chest grazing his, her glare boring into his own impassive stare that held just a pinch of curiosity.

"You're not leaving me," she declared. "And I'm not leaving you."

Sasuke regarded her for a moment, trying to see if she showed any signs of breaking, but, as it stood, he saw none. He blinked once, unable to stop the progressive smirk curving his lips.

"Alright," he sighed, defeated, one hand coming to the back of her neck – finally snapping the heiress back to her normal state. "Guess you're stuck."

Hinata's eyes widened just as Sasuke pulled her into a fierce, possessive kiss.

The image of realization crashing into her was far too perfect for him to resist.


End file.
